Release device



Sept. 16, 1930.

D. MAPES 1775550 RELEASE DEVICE Filed Jan. 30, 1929 I referred toherein.

Patented Sept. 16, 1 930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DANIEL MAI'ES, OIMAMARONECK, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO WALTER KIDDE & COM- PANY, INC., 015NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK RELEASE DEVICE Applicationfiled January 30, 1929. Serial No. 336,144.

This invention relates to devices for effecting the release of a fluidunder pressure, such as carbon dioxide, for example, when conditionsarise which render desirable the release of such fluid. In LettersPatent of the United States, No. 1,7 51,7 05, March 25, 1930, there isshown and described a device of this character in which the container inwhich the fluid is held under pressure is sea'ledagainst leakage by aseal, such as a rupturable disc, which is normally held in place againsta seat provided for it by a support which is held normally againstmovement by restraining de vices which can be released so as to permitthe support to yield and the seal to be ruptured by the pressure againstit. In the construction shown and described in that application thesupport is normally restrained from movement by toggles which aredirectly engaged by a fusible link which may part under the influence ofa rise in temperature or may be pulled from engagement with the toggles.p

In another application Serial N 0. 335,809 filed January 29, 1929, thereis shown and described a device of the same general character in whichthe movement of the restrain- .ing toggle is prevented by a bent,two-part lever, which is held .from movement through the engagementtherewith of a flammable link, which can also be disengaged by a leveroperated manually.

The presentinvention is particularly concerned with the means foreffecting the release of the restraining lever which, through a' toggle,prevents the yieldingof the su port'for the seal. The releasing device,t e operation of which is initiated manually-or otherwise, is shown inthe present case as arranged to cooperate with a two-part restraininglever such as that shown in the application last mentioned, but it willbe understood that it is capable of being arranged for cooperation witha restraining lever other than that shown-in the last named applicationand The invention will be described hereinafter with reference to theaccompanying drawing in which v Figure 1 is a view in sectionalelevation of a release device which embodies the invention of thetoggles which cooperate with the support of the rupturable disc.

or convenience the same reference characters as those employed in bothof said patent and application will be used herein as far as possible toindicate like parts.

In the embodiment of the invention illus trated a base or body a,suitably chambered, is formed at a for connection to a container 70. Ata it is formed with a seat to receive a rupturable disc I) and isthreaded internally to receive a bushing c by which the seal is pressedtightly against the seat (1 The base 1 or body is also threadedexternally to receive a housing'ql which supports the devices to bedescribed and has a connection, as at d for the conduit through whichthe'released fluid isto be conducted to the place of use. The seal 11 issupported against the internal pressure of the contents of the containerby a support e which may take the form of a plunger with a free workingfit within the bushing 0. As shown the bore of the bushing is largerthan the opening a between the container and the chamber of the bushingand the support 6 supports the seal 2) externally over an area such thatthe seal will not give away to the normal internal pressure in thecontainer. The support has a bore a considerably smaller'than the outleta and communicating, as at e with the chamber of I the housing (1 andthedischarge outlet (2 Thearea of the seal thus left unsupported isrelatively small so that the seal will not give way under normalinternal pressure but will give way after the internal pressure risesabove a predetermined de ree. When, however, the support a is re easedand is free to move the seal will be ruptured by the internal pressureand the contents of the container will be permitted thereby to escape involume. All of the parts thus far described are arranged and operatesubstantially as described in both said patent and application. As alsodescribed in the application Serial No. 335,809, filed January 29, 1929,the support 0 is normally restrained from movement by two toggles f, f,the toggle f hearing against the stem (2 of the support e, the toggle 7bearing against an adjusting screw 7'', and the two toggles bearingagainst each other at their heels, as at f, in a point which is at oneside of the line between the upper and lower bearing points of the twotoggles, pressure against the lower point of the toggle f tendingtocause the toggles to swing fur-. ther from such line. To prevent suchmovement of the toggles until the contents of the containcr are to bereleased pressure is applied. to one of the toggles, such as the lowertoggle, by a lever, which is preferably bent as shown and preferablyconsists of two parts g, g, pivotally connected as at g The lever g, gis pivoted to the housing d, as at g, and is arranged to bear normallyagainst the toggle f, preferably through an adjusting screw g"..Obviously the lever g, g operates practically as a single lever, butmay be made in two parts, pivotally connected to each other, as shown,to avoid danger of binding and also for convenience in manufacture andassembling. It will be observed that the point at which the toggle bearsagainst the lever g, g, is outside of the vertical plane which passesthrough the axis 9 on which the lever swingsand the axis of pivot 9 sothat if the lever is not restrained itwill yield to the pressure exertedthrough the toggle.

In the present instance no flammable or fusible link is shown, the leverbeing restrained by a release pin m against which the end portion of thelever bears normally. The devices by which the release pin is withdrawnto release the lever g, 9 will now be described.

The release pin m is guided, for vertical movement in a guide m which issupported in the frame. The upper end of the release pin projects abovethe guide m sufliciently to engage the end of the lever g, g andrestrain it from movement. The release pin'is held normally in lockingposition through the engagement of a lug or projection m at its lowerend with a spring latch n secured to the housing and formed as shown inFigure l, and having its lower end bent, as at a,

under the lug or projection m to hold the pin in its locking position.On the guide m is mounted a hammero which is acted upon by a spring 0the hammer being formed, as at 0 for contact with the spring n in thedownward movement'ofthe hammer to disengage it from the release pin andpermit the pin to descend under the influence of the hammer when thepart o'-, after releasing the spring n, strikes the lug or projection m.

The hammer o is held normally in its inoperative position with thespring 0 under compression by a cable 72 which is held normally undertension by any suitable device, such, for example, as a fusible or aflammable link or a manually operated latch. The cable is preferablypassed down through the hammer and is coiled at its-lower end below thehammer, as at 2 when the hammer is in its elevated position to securethe necessary adj ustment.

During shipment of the equipment the spring 0 is extended, as shown inFigure 2, but the release pin is held from movement by a safety pin 1'which is inserted through a hole 1' in the lower end of the guide mbelow the lower end of the release pin m. As a further safety featurethe-outlet connection d is covered before installation by a cap d andthe cap is connected by a chain d with the safety pin 1' so that the capcannot be removed unt1l the device has been installed and the safety pin7 has been withdrawn to place the device in readiness foroperation.

I claim as my invention: 1. In a device of the character described andincluding a container a movable means acting normally to prevent therelease of fluid from the container, a toggle lever normallycooperatingwith said means to prevent movement thereof a lever arrangedto bear against the tog le lever to prevent movement thereof a re easepin normally engaglngthe secon named lever to prevent movement thereof,and means to withdraw the pinto release the lever. a

2. In a device of the character described and includin a container amovable means acting norma ly to prevent the release of fluidcooperating with said means to prevent movement thereof, a leverarranged to bear against the tog 1e lever toprevent movement thereof,are ease pin normally engaging the second named lever to revent movementthereof, alatch normal y preventing movement of tlllle release pin, andmeans to dlsengage the late 3. In a device of the character describedand includin a container a movable means acting norma ly to prevent therelease of fluid I from the container, a toggle lever normallycooperating with said means to prevent movement thereof, a leverarranged to bear against the toggle lever to prevent movement thereof 'arelease pin normally engaging the secon movement of the second namedlever,-and-- releasable means to retain the hammer nor mally 1ninoperatlve position.

4. In a device of the character described and includin a containeramovable means acting norma 1y to prevent the release of fluid from thecontainer, a toggle lever normally 5 cooperating with said means toprevent movement thereof, a lever arranged to bear against I the tog 1elever to prevent movement thereof, a re ease pin normally vengaging thesec- 0nd named lever to prevent movement thereof, a latch normallypreventing movement of the release pin,'a hammer to disengage the latchand move the release pin and thereby permit movementof the second namedlever, releasable means to retain the hammer normally in inoperativeposition, and a safety pin to hold the release pin normally in in-'-operative position. In a device of the character described and includina container a movable means a acting norma y to prevent the release offluid from the container, a toggle lever normally cooperating with saidmeans to prevent movement thereof, a lever arranged to bear against thetog 1e lever to prevent movement thereof, a re ease pin normallyengaging the sec and named lever to revent movement thereof, a latchnormal y preventing movement of the release pin, a hammer todisengagethe latch and move the release pin and thereby permit movement of thesecond named lever,

releasable means to retain the hammer'normally in inoperative position,a safety pin to hold the release pin normally in inoperative position acap to cover the outlet, and a connection tween the cap and the safetyin to prevent removal of the cap until the sa ety pin has been removed.

This specification signed this 15thtday of January A. D. 1929 40

